Madden NFL 18 Cover Leaked?

For the first time in the franchise’s history, a Dallas Cowboy could be gracing the cover of a Madden NFL game. If a leaked image is to be believed, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott could be the cover athlete for the upcoming Madden NFL 18.

Could this be a look at the cover of Madden NFL 18?

Sports Gamers Online has reached out to representatives from EA Sports to verify the image, and will update this article should a response be provided.

Madden NFL 18 launches later this summer for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and will be the first one to feature to new Frostbite engine.

Speaking of the Frostbite engine, you can check out some details below about what the new engine will mean to Madden this year and in the future.

Animations and Visuals

Frostbite will allow developers to upgrade every aspect in the game in a much more effective manner. A lot of those upgrades will come in the visual aspect of the game, including our favorite – animations! Look for upwards of three times as many animations in Madden 18. This means better looking catches, movements and interactions between players during play. If you’ve ever played FIFA 17 then you will know how much better and realistic players move. Look for looks of players, field, stands, crowd and many other aspects of the game to get a huge upgrade in realism.

Frostbite lighting will allow the entire environment to be overhauled for a much more realistic look and feel. From images in the background being blurred, to areas above the stadium looking better, the visuals for Madden 18 will be drastically improved.

Physics

Look for the Frostbite engine to allow developers to hone in on improving physics to include better in-game interactions between players and their environment and player movement. Games such as FIFA 17 and Battlefield have shown the power of Frostbite to create inspiring environments to pull you deeper into your game. This now will include dynamic weather environments which can change while you play a game. Games in the snow, rain or even dusk will now be as realistic as ever as these can completely change while you play.

More Details

Frostbite will really allow EA developers to take the top off of the Madden series. We can look for more details in every aspect of our games, including facial expressions and emotions. No more blank stares after a big play, no more robots bumping into one another while trying to walk back to the huddle after a big hit and hopefully no more stick figure players on the sidelines while not in the game. EA will now have the ability to give us as many details as possible to make the look and feel of Madden 18 become as real as possible.

Story Mode

For years, many have asked for a full story mode. The ability to take a player from high school to the pros has been on the wish list of many for a long time. Though we have seen many attempts at giving us this option, the Frostbite engine will allow developers to dive head first into this as a real option for the Madden series. If you have ever played FIFA 17, then you know of the very in-depth and detailed story mode which it hosts. From acting, to decisions, to cut scenes, the Madden series will have the ability to give users what they have asked for.

Overall Thoughts

This Frostbite engine could be a real game changer for the Madden series! The series took a huge leap this year in a lot of its new functions and additions for the CFM mode and this will only continue that upward rise. What are you looking forward to the most? What other wish list times would you have with this news of a new engine? Leave us your comments.

Michael Straw is a gamer who just happens to be an experienced journalist. In his near decade-long career, Mike has traveled across the United States to cover some of the biggest events in gaming and sports, including E3, PAX, as well as the NFL and NHL Drafts. His work covering gaming and sports led his content being featured on Fox Sports 1, SI.com and others. He was once the second-ranked player in the world in NHL 09 on Xbox Live, and is a huge pro wrestling junkie.